Roth IRA Calculator

Project your Roth IRA's tax-free growth to retirement and see the advantage vs a taxable account.

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The 2026 contribution limit is 7,000 (8,000 from 50) and income phase-outs apply — both are dated references here, flagged rather than enforced, because they change every year. A Roth is funded with money already taxed, so the balance shown is what you can actually spend; the comparison below is what makes that concrete. Not financial or tax advice.

Tax-free at retirement

828,000

You contributed225,000
Growth, never taxed603,000
Traditional, after tax849,000
Taxable account, after tax733,000
Formula and working

The formula

Each year: balance = (balance + contribution) × (1 + return). Nothing is deducted at the end.

Your numbers

Waiting for your numbers.

An estimate, not financial advice. Figures are indicative, and the assumptions behind them are stated on the tool itself. Tax rules, rates and fees vary by country and change over time — check against your provider or a qualified adviser before acting on a number.

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Overview

What is a Roth IRA Calculator?

A Roth IRA Calculator projects how contributions grow in a US Roth IRA, where you contribute after-tax money and qualified withdrawals in retirement are completely tax-free. Enter your balance, annual contribution, expected return, and years, and it estimates your tax-free nest egg. It's a US estimate, not financial or tax advice.

A Roth IRA is a US retirement account with a powerful feature: you contribute money you've already paid tax on, it grows for decades, and — provided you follow the rules — every dollar you withdraw in retirement, including all the investment growth, comes out tax-free. This calculator projects that tax-free balance and shows how much of it is your contributions versus growth, with the mechanics displayed.

Enter your current Roth IRA balance, your annual contribution, an expected return, and years to retirement (with an optional annual step-up). Each year the tool adds your contribution and grows the balance, then shows the projected total. Because qualified Roth withdrawals aren't taxed, that whole balance is yours to spend — which is why the tool can also compare a Roth against a taxable account (where gains are taxed) and against a traditional IRA/401(k) (where you get a tax break now but pay tax on withdrawal).

Guide

How to use the Roth IRA calculator

Step 1: Enter your current balance. Your existing Roth IRA value (0 if starting fresh)

Enter your current balance. Your existing Roth IRA value (0 if starting fresh).

Step 2: Enter your annual contribution. Check it against the dated contribution-limit reference

Enter your annual contribution. Check it against the dated contribution-limit reference.

Step 3: Enter an expected return and years. A realistic return assumption and your horizon to retirement

Enter an expected return and years. A realistic return assumption and your horizon to retirement.

Step 4: Optional: add a step-up or a tax rate. Step up contributions yearly, or enter a tax rate to compare Roth vs taxable/traditional

Optional: add a step-up or a tax rate. Step up contributions yearly, or enter a tax rate to compare Roth vs taxable/traditional.

Step 5: Read your projection. See the tax-free balance, the contributions-vs-growth split, and any comparison

Copy if needed.

Screens

Roth IRA Calculator in action

Roth IRA calculator showing the tax-free ending balance with the contributions separated from the growth
Tax-free balance + contributions/growth split
Roth IRA calculator comparing the Roth against an ordinary taxable account, whose growth is taxed at the end
Roth vs taxable comparison
Roth IRA calculator comparing Roth and traditional on equal footing — the same out-of-pocket cost, both figures after tax
Roth vs traditional comparison
Roth IRA calculator running in a phone browser with the two tax-rate fields paired
Mobile browser
Details

When a Roth IRA calculator helps

The honest framing matters here. This is US-specific: Roth IRA contribution limits, income phase-out ranges (which can limit or bar high earners from contributing directly), and the "5-year rule" all belong to US tax law and change most years. So the tool treats the contribution limit as a dated, adjustable reference rather than baking in a value that silently goes out of date, and it doesn't try to encode income eligibility. For current figures and your eligibility, check the IRS or a professional.

A few rules worth knowing: tax-free treatment of *earnings* generally requires being at least 59½ and having had the account five years (the 5-year rule); your contributions (not earnings) can usually be withdrawn anytime without tax or penalty. The projected balance is nominal, the return is an assumption, and this is not financial or tax advice. Everything runs privately in your browser — your figures are never uploaded. For a traditional pre-tax comparison, see the 401(k) Calculator.

  • Retirement planning. Project your tax-free balance and the split of contributions vs growth.
  • Roth vs traditional. Compare paying tax now (Roth) against later (traditional).
  • Roth vs taxable. See the value of tax-free growth over a regular brokerage account.
  • Contribution planning. Model maxing out (against the dated limit) or stepping up over time.
  • Long-horizon compounding. See how decades of tax-free growth add up.

Realistic example. Starting at $10,000, contributing $6,000/year, at a 7% return for 30 years: the balance grows to roughly $620,000 — and because it's a Roth, all of it is tax-free in retirement. In a taxable account, tax on the gains along the way would leave noticeably less.

Advanced tip. A Roth generally wins if you expect a higher tax rate in retirement than today (you lock in today's lower rate); a traditional account can win if you expect a lower rate later. The comparison view helps you weigh this.

Common mistake to avoid. Don't assume you're eligible to contribute the full amount — high earners face income phase-outs. Check current limits with the IRS.

Related. For a pre-tax account with an employer match, see the 401(k) Calculator.

What this estimate is — and isn't

  • Not financial or tax advice. It's an educational projection, not a recommendation.
  • US-specific and dated. Roth limits, income phase-outs, and the 5-year rule are US and change yearly; the contribution limit here is an adjustable reference, not current-year law.
  • Eligibility varies. Income limits can reduce or block direct contributions for high earners — check the IRS.
  • Withdrawal rules apply. Tax-free *earnings* generally need age 59½ plus the 5-year rule; contributions are usually withdrawable anytime.
  • Return is an assumption; balance is nominal. Markets vary, and inflation isn't removed.
  • Your data stays private. All maths runs on your device; nothing is uploaded.
Support

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Roth IRA and what does this calculator do?

A Roth IRA is a US retirement account you fund with after-tax money; it grows for years, and qualified withdrawals in retirement are tax-free. This calculator projects your Roth IRA balance at retirement from your current balance, annual contribution, expected return, and years — and shows how much is contributions versus tax-free growth. It's a US-focused educational estimate, not advice.

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Are Roth IRA withdrawals really tax-free?

Yes, if they're qualified. Because you contribute money you've already paid tax on, both your contributions and all the investment growth can be withdrawn tax-free in retirement — provided you're generally at least 59½ and have had the account for at least five years (the 5-year rule). That tax-free growth is the Roth's biggest advantage over a taxable account.

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How much will my Roth IRA grow?

It depends on your contributions, return, and years — and compounding over decades makes a big difference. For example, $6,000 a year at a 7% return for 30 years grows to roughly $600,000, essentially all of it tax-free. Change any input and the result shifts; the calculator shows your own figure and splits it into contributions versus growth.

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Roth vs traditional IRA — which is better?

It depends on your tax rate now versus in retirement. A Roth uses after-tax money and gives tax-free withdrawals — better if you expect a higher tax rate later, since you lock in today's lower rate. A traditional IRA/401(k) gives a tax break now but taxes withdrawals — better if you expect a lower rate in retirement. The comparison view helps you weigh it; there's no universal winner.

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What is the Roth IRA contribution limit?

The IRS sets an annual Roth IRA contribution limit, with an extra catch-up amount for older savers, and it changes most years. Because of that, this tool treats the limit as a dated, adjustable reference rather than hard-coding a value that would go stale. Check the current figure on the IRS website and enter it if you want the cap reflected in your projection.

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Is there an income limit to contribute?

Yes. Roth IRA eligibility phases out above certain income levels, so high earners may only contribute a reduced amount or none directly (some use a "backdoor Roth" strategy instead). These income thresholds change yearly and depend on your filing status, so the tool doesn't encode them — check your current eligibility with the IRS before assuming you can contribute the full amount.

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What is the 5-year rule?

The 5-year rule requires that a Roth IRA has been open for at least five tax years before the *earnings* can be withdrawn tax-free (alongside being 59½ for a standard qualified withdrawal). It's designed to stop very short-term use of the account's tax benefits. Your contributions aren't subject to it — those you can generally take out anytime — but the growth is.

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Can I withdraw my Roth contributions early?

Generally yes — you can withdraw the money you contributed (not the earnings) at any time, tax- and penalty-free, because you already paid tax on it. Withdrawing the earnings early, however, can trigger income tax and a penalty unless an exception applies. This flexibility on contributions is a reason some people value a Roth, but it's best left to grow.

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Roth IRA vs Roth 401(k) — what's the difference?

Both offer tax-free qualified withdrawals, but a Roth 401(k) is employer-sponsored, often includes an employer match (which is pre-tax), and has higher contribution limits and no income restriction. A Roth IRA is an individual account you open yourself, with lower limits and income phase-outs. Many people use both. For the employer-plan side, see the 401(k) Calculator.

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Is this US-only, and does it use current tax law?

Yes, the Roth IRA is a US retirement account, so this tool is US-focused. It does not encode current-year tax law, contribution limits, or income phase-outs automatically — those change yearly, so limits are shown as an adjustable, dated reference. Treat the projection as a general estimate and confirm current rules and your eligibility with the IRS or a professional.

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Is this financial or tax advice?

No. This calculator is an educational estimate to help you understand and project tax-free Roth growth. It isn't financial, tax, or investment advice, and it doesn't account for your full situation, including eligibility. For decisions about contributions, conversions, or tax, consult a qualified financial or tax professional.

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Is my data uploaded, and does it work offline?

No upload, and yes it works offline. Every calculation runs entirely in your browser, so your balance and contribution figures — which are sensitive — are never sent to a server, there's no account, and no tracking. Once the page has loaded it keeps working with no connection, which is exactly what you want for private retirement figures.

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